Heel and cushion connecter



HEEL AND CUSHION GONNECTER Filed April 2, 1936 Patented Apr. 27, 1937 PATENT FICE HEEL AND CUSHION CONNECTER Villor P. Williams, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Estelle W. Gomboror, Baltimore, Md.

Application April 2, 1936, Serial No. 72,352

4 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe heels and more particularly to a spring cushion heel.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a cushion connecter between a conventional leather heel and a shoe which connecter is formed as a unitary element from a sheet metal spring steel stamping.

Another object of the invention is to provide the cushion connecter element with a plurality of spring fingers that are to be secured to the heel, the element being so constructed as to receive the heel therein in seating and guiding engagement to constitute a unit handled organization.

A further object of the invention relates to the provision of detachable and readily receivable fastening elements between the shoe and the cushion of spring connecter carrying the heel.

Other objects of the invention relate to the provision of a cushion heel that is strong, durable and economical in construction, and which is especially designed to eliminate shocks and jars to the body while walking, relieve tiredness in prolonged standing, and which will be found especially adapted for wearing during long trips on foot.

A still further object of the invention relates to the detachable feature of the cushion heel unit that requires a minimum of time and effort in its removal to permit the replacement of the heel carried by the cushion connecter when said heel has become worn in use, with a repeated use of the same cushion connecter.

An additional object of the invention relates to the use of the cushion connecter as a resilient support and connection between relatively movable members.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:--

Fig. l is a side elevation View of a portion of the shoe having the cushion heel applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cushion connecter. g

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the cushion connecter taken'on line 33, Fig. 1.

Fig. v4 is a sectional view of the cushion connecter and attached heel taken on line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6, are detail sectional views of two modifications in removable fastening members.

Fig. 7 is a similar detail sectional view and Fig. 8 is a plan view taken on line 88, Fig. '7 of another removable fastening member modification.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are similar detail sectional views of three further modifications of removable fastening members.

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 show additional sectional views of modifications in fastening the spring fingers to the leather heel section.

Referring to the drawing, I 0 denotes a shoe provided with my improved cushion heel indicated generally by the reference character II. The cushion heel II is made up of two parts, one of which is a heel section I2 of conventional design built up of a plurality of leather laminations in the manner well known in the art, and the other a cushion connecter I3. The cushion connecter I3 shown in bottom plan view in Fig. 2, is formed as a sheet metal stamping of thin gauge spring steel and comprises a flat body portion I4 shaped to the configuration of the heel section I2 and provided with a peripheral flange I5 that is of uniform width throughout said flange being adapted to snugly surround the heel section I2 in a manner to be hereinafter described. Struck out from the body portion I4 and projecting from the bottom surface I l is a plurality of spring fingers I6, which in the preferred form shown are arranged in parallel opposed pairs. At this point it is to be understood that the spring fingers I6 may assume a variety of shapes and directions and may be of any desired number, being limited only to being struck out from the body portion I4 within the confines thereof and are so dimensioned that the aggregate area thereof is the maximum possible obtainable with reference to the area of said body portion so as to provide the maximum possible resilient support. While the term spring fingers has been utilized it is Within the intent of my invention to include any form of spring formation that may be struck out from the body portion I4. It is also within the intent of my invention to utilize spring fingers that may be separate from said body portion and which may be secured thereto in any desired manner as by spot welding or riveting, which construction is deemed to be the mechanical equivalent of the struck out spring fingers shown.

Each spring finger I6 is provided on the free end thereof with a nail. receiving opening II. The formation of said spring fingers I6 is such that the ends thereof terminate in wide supporting portions all of which preferably lie in a plane parallel to the body portion I4. Adjacent the flange I5, the body portion I4 is provided with a plurality of spaced formations or bosses 26 which project above the top surface 54 of the body portion I4. The bosses 26 are preferably equal in height and of a length less than the conventional thickness of the sole II] of the shoe, see Fig. 4.

In attaching the cushion connecter I3 to the heel section I2, the same is placed thereover so that the flange I5 thereof will fit over the sides of the heel in a telescoping and guiding relationship. When so related the spring fingers I6 are secured to the heel section I2 by driving nails 2I through the opening I'I provided thereforv in. said.

spring fingers. The nails 2I are preferably of the barbed type so that when driven into the heel section I2 they will become permanently locked therewith, loosening of the nails 2| and a consequent separation of the spring fingers I6 fromthe heel section I2 being thus positively prevented. However, prior to the attachment of the spring fingers I 6 to the heel section I2, there is seated in each of the bosses 20, a cylindrical internally threaded sleeve 24, see Fig. 4 and enlarged view in Fig. 5, provided with a flanged head 25. The sleeve 24 maybe secured in each boss 26 in any desired manner as for example by a force fit or by providing serrations on the outside surface of said sleeve. With the threaded sleeves 24 thus positioned within the bosses 20 the cushion connecter is secured to the heel section I2 in the manner as described'above for unit handling therewith.

The heel receiving portion of the sole Hi is provided with a plurality of openings 26 extending entirely through the same and spaced and arranged in a manner identical with the spacing and arrangement of the bosses 20 which are positioned within said openings 26 to seat the body portion I4 on the sole Ill Screw elements 26 of any appropriate design provided with enlarged flat heads 29 and shoulders 36 are inserted through the openings 26 into threaded engagement with the sleeves 24, for securely holding the cushion connecter I3 (and heel section I2 carried thereby) to the shoe I 0. The heads 29 of the screws 28 are covered by a suitable pad and the inner sole of the shoe (not shown), the whole being so designed that the heads 29 will not be felt by the wearer of the shoe. I desire it understood that while I have shown the spring fingers I6 attached to the heel section I2 by means of barbed nails 2|, I nevertheless contemplate the use of any type of driven fastening means that adapt themselves for use in this construction. One example of such a fastening means is the common form of U-shaped staple which may be arranged to straddle the end of the spring fingers and driven into the heel section. With the prongs of the staple of a greater length than the thickness of the heel section, the. ends of the prongs will be bent over to securely lock the staple and the associated spring finger in place.

It is thus seen that an extremely simple and efficient manner of providing a spring cushion for a solid heel has been devised, both in the design of the cushion itself and in the manner of at- V taching the same to the heel for unit handling heads of the nails 2|. A new heel is then fitted to the cushion connecter I3 and fastened thereto in the manner as described above, the whole being then attached to the shoe by the mere replacement of the screws 28.

In Fig. 6 the body portion I4 is shown provided with circular openings 20 through which the threaded sleeves 24, serrated as at 3| are forced for locking engagement with said body portion. This construction as will be: observed dispenses with the bosses 26 and is thus a cheaper construction.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 6, wherein the body portion I4 is provided with a square opening 26 for the reception of a four sided internally threaded sleeve 24 This construction as well as those hitherto described will obviate turning of the threaded sleeve relative to the body portion I4. In some cases the bosses 20 in the form shown in Fig. 5 may be formed square to receive sleeves such as 24*.

In Fig. 9, an altogether different form of fastening connection is employed. In this case the body portion I4 is provided with a circular opening 26 which is adapted to be engaged by the screw 32 of the self-tapping type. In some cases'the'openings 26 if the gauge of the stamping forming the cushion connecter I3 is thick enough, may be threaded to receive a threaded screw 32.

A modified form of this construction is shown in Fig. 10. In this case there is provided within the openings 26 of the body portion I4, eyelets or bushings 34 that are flanged over at their ends to permanently unite the same to said'body portion. The interior of said eyelets 34 are threaded for the reception of the screws 35. To permit the body portion I4 to lie flush against the bottom surface of the sole Ill the openings 26' in the sole If] are enlarged at thin lower ends;

When a permanent attachment of the cushion connecter I3 to the shoe is desired, while any one of the above fastening devices may beutilized, yet a fastening medium that would require no machining would be highly desirable. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 11 where the body portion I4 is shown permanently attached to the sole I I] of the shoe by means of an eyelet 38'. This form of eyelet is inserted into the openings 20 of the body portion in locked engagement therewith and extends beyond the upper surface lo of the sole III, as shown by the dotted lines, said. end being flanged over in the manner Well known, to thus securely clamp the body portion I4 to the sole I 0*. A plug 39 of wood or other suitable material may be inserted into the opening of the eyelet to close the same. The eyelet 38 may be replaced with a conventional solid rivet construction.

As described above the attachment of the spring fingers I6 of the connecter to the heel section I2 is accomplished by means of the barbed nails 2I, which for most cases is highly satisfactory. However, other forms of fastening elements may be utilized.

In Fig. 12, there is shown a detachable connection between the spring fingers I6 and the heel section I2 of a type similar to that shown in Fig. 5. In this case the heel section is provided with a vertical opening 40 to register with the opening I'I in the spring finger I6. Mounted downwardly through the opening I'I into the opening 40 is a sleeve or bushing 4| provided with a flat head 42 and a threaded bore for the reception of the screw 43, inserted through the other end of the opening 40. The bushing 4| may be provided with exterior threads to provide an additional locking relationship with the heel section l2. By applying a screw driver to both the bushing 4| and screw 43, the same may be drawn together for tightly clamping the spring finger IE tothe heel section l2 in the manner readily apparent. As will be obvious this form of fastening may be modified in a variety of ways as indicated above with reference to the showings in Figs. to 9. The connection embodying the bushing 4| and screw 43 may be simplified by forming the bushing as a plain sleeve with a head 42 and an unthreaded bore and the screw 43 replaced with a driven screw having a wide pitch spiral thread thereon, with said screw adapted to be driven into the bore of the bushing 4| for locking engagement therewith.

In Fig. 13, the spring finger I6 is shown securely and permanently fastened to the heel section l2 by means of a rivet 45. The conical head 46 of the rivet is disposed at the bottom of the heel with the rivet headed over the spring finger end to form the flat head 41. This construction as will be appreciated is both durable and cheap, and incidently highly efiicient and simple in application.

A similar form of riveted construction is shown in Fig. 14. In this case however one head 50 of the rivet 5|, preferably flat, engages the spring finger B with the other head 52 arranged within the heel section l2. This construction is peculiarly adaptable in cases where the head is built up of a plurality of .leather laminations as for example in this case, there being shown. Thus in the assembly of the cushion connecter l3 to the heel section 2, the spring fingers I6 are securely and permanently attached to the upper two layers a and bby means of the rivet 5|, which additionally serves to hold the two layers a and b most securely together. The third layer C which comprises the bottom layer of the heel section I2 is attached to the upper two layers a, b by being glued and nailed thereto in the manner well known. As the heel becomes worn, instead of replacing the entire heel section as would practically be necessary in any of the forms hereinabove described, all that would be required in this case would be the replacement of the lower layer C. The pulling ofi of the layer C by the shoe maker would not interfere with the connection of the upper two layers a, b to the spring fingers Hi. In some cases it would not be necessary to remove the heel and cushion connecter from the shoe. Of course if the wear in the heel section extends beyond the lower layer it will be necessary to remove the entire heel section in the event the replacement or repair thereof is desired.

While the cushion connecter has been preferably shown as a resilient connecting medium between a heel and shoe, it will be obvious that the same may be widely utilized in industry as a resilient support or connecter in other constructions.

While there are herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as claimed.

I claim:-

1. A cushion support member comprising a flat heel-shaped sheet metal plate having integral spring fingers depending therefrom, means on said plate for receiving fasteners, means on said spring fingers for receiving fasteners, one of said means non-rotatably receiving a plurality of fastening elements, each of said fastening elements adapted to be engaged by an interfitting separable fastening member, and a flange depending from said plate and extending around the entire edge thereof.

2. A shoe heel comprising a. movable heel section of conventional design and a cushion connecter, said cushion connecter having a flat body portion with integral spring fingers depending therefrom, means on said body portion non-rotatably receiving a plurality of fastening elements, each of said fastening elements adapted to be engaged by an interfitting separable fastening member, and fasteners attaching the free ends of said spring fingers to the movable heel section.

3. In the shoe heel structure as set forth in claim 2, a depending peripheral flange on said body portion snugly surrounding the upper portion of said movable heel section in guiding relation.

4. In the shoe heel structure as set forth in claim 2, a depending peripheral flange on said body portion snugly surrounding the upper portion of said movable heel section in guiding relation, with the edge of said flange extending beyond the free ends of said spring fingers and the top surface of said heel section, whereby to exclude the entry of dirt and foreign matter between said heel section and cushion connecter.

VILLOR P. WILLIAMS.

Patent No. 2,078,551.

VILLOR P. WILLIAMS.

It is hereby certified that the name of the as numbereu patent was erroneously written and print: Gomboror" whereas said name should have been written an; printer; as Estelle W. Gomborov, of Baltimore Maryland, as shown my" t of assignments in this office: and that the said L tters be read with this correction therein that the same may can cord of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 51st day 01 August, A. D. 1937.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Cemniissiener of Patents. 

